My beloved brethren, we have heard a revelatory announcement
from President Russell M. Nelson.
We have heard important elaborations
by Elders Christofferson and Rasband
and by President Eyring.
What will yet be said, including more from President Nelson,
will elaborate what you, the Lord's leaders
and priesthood holders, will now do in your responsibilities.
To help with that, I will review some fundamental principles
governing the priesthood you hold.
The Melchizedek Priesthood is the divine authority God has
delegated to accomplish His work "to bring to pass the ...
eternal life of man."
In 1829 it was conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery
by the Savior's Apostles Peter, James, and John.
It is sacred and powerful beyond our powers to describe.
The keys of the priesthood are the powers
to direct the exercise of priesthood authority.
Thus, when the Apostles conferred the Melchizedek
Priesthood upon Joseph and Oliver,
they also gave them the keys to direct its exercise.
But not all priesthood keys were conferred at that time.
The entire keys and knowledge necessary
for this "dispensation of the fulness of times"
are given "line upon line."
Additional keys were given in the Kirtland Temple
seven years later.
These keys were given to direct priesthood authority
in the additional assignments being
given at that time, such as baptism for the dead.
The Melchizedek Priesthood is not a status or a label.
It is a divine power held in trust
to use for the benefit of God's work for His children.
We should always remember that men
who hold the priesthood are not "the priesthood."
It is not appropriate to refer to "the priesthood
and the women."
We should refer to "the holders of the priesthood
and the women."
Now let us consider what the Lord Jesus Christ expects from
those who hold His priesthood--how we are to bring
souls unto Him.
President Joseph F. Smith taught:
"It has truly been said that the Church is perfectly organized.
The only trouble is that these organizations are not
fully alive to the obligations that rest upon them.
When they become thoroughly [acquainted]
to the requirements made of them,
they will fulfill their duties more faithfully,
and the work of the Lord will be all the stronger
and more powerful and influential in the world."
PRESIDENT SMITH ALSO CAUTIONED: "The God-given titles of honor
... associated with the several offices in and orders
of the Holy Priesthood, are not to be used or considered as are
the titles originated by man; they are not for adornment nor
are they expressive of mastership,
but rather of appointment to humble service in the work
of the one Master whom we profess [or] serve."
CONTINUING THE QUOTE: "We are laboring
for the salvation of souls, and we
should feel that this is the greatest duty devolving
upon us.
Therefore, we should feel willing to sacrifice
everything, if need be, for the love of God,
the salvation of men, and the triumph of the kingdom of God
upon the earth."
In the Lord's Church, the offices
in the Melchizedek Priesthood have different functions.
The Doctrine and Covenants refers to high priests
as "standing presidents or servants over different stakes
scattered abroad."
It refers to elders as "standing ministers to my church."
Here are other teachings on these separate functions.
A high priest officiates and administers
in spiritual things.
Also, as President Joseph F. Smith taught,
"Inasmuch as he has been ordained a high priest,
[he] should feel that he is obliged ...
to set an example before the old and young worthy of emulation,
and to place himself in a position to be a teacher
of righteousness, not only by precept but more particularly
by example--giving to the younger ones the benefit
of the experience of age, and thus becoming individually
a power in the midst of the community in which he dwells."
On the duties of an elder, Elder Bruce R.
McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve taught:
"An elder is a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. ...
He is commissioned to stand in the place and stead of his
Master ... in ministering to his fellowmen.
He is the Lord's agent."
Elder McConkie criticized the idea
that one is "only an elder."
"Every elder in the Church holds as much priesthood
as the President of the Church," he said.
"What is an elder?
He is a shepherd, a shepherd serving in the sheepfold
of the Good Shepherd."
In this important function to minister
in the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd,
there is no distinction between the offices of high priest
and elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood.
In the great section 107 of the Doctrine and Covenants,
the Lord declares, "High priests after the order
of the Melchizedek Priesthood have a right
to officiate in their own standing,
under the direction of the presidency,
in administering spiritual things,
and also in the office of an elder [or any office
in the Aaronic Priesthood]."
The most important principle for all priesthood holders
is the principle taught by the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob.
After he and his brother Joseph were consecrated
priests and teachers of the people, he declared,
"And we did magnify our office unto the Lord,
taking upon us the responsibility, answering
the sins of the people upon our own heads
if we did not teach them the word of God
with all diligence."
Brethren, our responsibilities as holders of the priesthood
are serious matters.
Other organizations can be satisfied
with worldly standards of performance
in delivering their messages and performing
their other functions.
But we who hold the priesthood of God
have the divine power that even governs entrance
into the celestial kingdom of God.
We have the purpose and the responsibility
the Lord defined in the revealed preface
to the Doctrine and Covenants.
We are to proclaim to the world:
"That every man might speak in the name of God
the Lord, even the Savior of the world;
"That faith also might increase in the earth;
"That mine everlasting covenant might be established;
"That the fulness of my gospel might be
proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto
the ends of the world."
To fulfill this divine charge, we
must be faithful in "magnifying" our priesthood callings
and responsibilities.
Elder Harold B. Lee explained what
it means to magnify the priesthood:
"When one becomes a holder of the priesthood,
he becomes an agent of the Lord.
He should think of his calling as though he
were on the Lord's errand.
[This] is what it means to magnify the priesthood."
Therefore, brethren, if the Lord Himself were to ask you to help
one of His sons or daughters--which He has done
through His servants--would you do it?
And if you did, would you act as His agent,
"on the Lord's errand," relying on His promised help?
Elder Lee had another teaching about magnifying
the priesthood: "When you hold a magnifying glass over something
it makes that thing look bigger than you
could see it with the naked eye; that's a magnifying glass.
Now, ... if anybody magnified their priesthood--that is,
makes it bigger than they first thought it was and more
important than anyone else thought it was--that is the way
you magnify your priesthood."
Here is an example of a priesthood holder magnifying
his priesthood responsibility.
I heard this from Elder Jeffrey D. Erekson, my companion
in a stake conference in Idaho.
As a young married elder, desperately poor and feeling
unable to finish his last year of college,
Jeffrey decided to drop out and accept an attractive job offer.
A few days later his elders quorum president
came to his home.
"Do you understand the significance
of the priesthood keys I hold?"
the elders quorum president asked.
When Jeffrey said he did, the president
told him that since hearing of his intention
to drop out of college, the Lord had tormented him
during sleepless nights to give Jeffrey this message:
"As your elders quorum president,
I counsel you not to drop out of college.
That is a message to you from the Lord."
Jeffrey stayed in school.
[LAUGHTER]
Years later I met him as a successful businessman
and heard him tell an audience of priesthood holders,
"That [counsel] has made all the difference in my life."
A priesthood holder magnified his priesthood and calling,
and that made "all the difference" in the life
of another child of God.
Up to now, I have been speaking of the functions
of the priesthood in the Church.
Now I will speak of priesthood in the family.
I begin with keys.
The principle that priesthood authority can only
be exercised under the direction of the one who
holds the keys for that function is fundamental in the Church
but does not apply to the exercise
of priesthood authority in the family.
A father who holds the priesthood
presides in his family by the authority
of the priesthood he holds.
He has no need to have the direction or approval
of priesthood keys in order to counsel
the members of his family, hold family meetings,
give priesthood blessings to his wife and children,
or to give healing blessings to family members or others.
If fathers would magnify their priesthood in their own family,
it would further the mission of the Church as much as anything
else they might do.
Fathers who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood
should keep the commandments so they
will have the power of the priesthood to give blessings
to their family members.
Fathers should also cultivate loving family relationships
so that family members will want to ask
their fathers for blessings.
And parents should encourage more priesthood blessings
in the family.
Fathers, function as "equal partners" of your wives,
as the family proclamation teaches.
And fathers, when you are privileged to exercise
the power and influence of your priesthood authority,
do so "by persuasion, by long-suffering,
by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned."
That high standard for the exercise
of priesthood authority is most important in the family.
President Harold B. Lee gave this promise
just after he became President of the Church:
"Never is the power of the priesthood, which you hold,
more wonderful than when there is a crisis in your home,
a serious illness, or some great decision that has to be made.
...
Vested in the power of the priesthood,
which is the power of Almighty God,
is the power to perform miracles if the Lord wills it so,
but in order for us to use that priesthood,
we must be worthy to exercise it.
A failure to understand this principle
is a failure to receive the blessings of holding
that great priesthood."
My beloved brethren, the magnifying
of the holy priesthood you hold is
vital to the work of the Lord in your families
and in your Church callings.
I testify of Him whose priesthood it is.
Through His atoning suffering and sacrifice and Resurrection,
all men and women have the assurance of immortality
and the opportunity for eternal life.
Each of us should be faithful and diligent in doing
our part in this great work of God, our Eternal Father.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.